Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-03-22

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ticn Of the justice Of such a ,e,,,e,s;on and
y , s1o9I9 nai..S.
" ~ further provided that the cost
p6ying or macadamizing streets here.
after laid out may be assessed against ad-
jacent property, at the request of the ma.
jority of the property owners affected, or by
atwo-thirds vote Of each branch of councils,
without such request from the parties af-
fected and also that the cost of gas and
water mains hereafter laid in the streets
shall be assessed against the adjoining
properties. We do not believe that this
is . just regulation, in our city, where the
mains are laid 30 extensively and so many
OF the streets are macadamized. The out
lying districts should not now pay for their
improvements, which are not altogether for
Z The benefit OF the property they pass by ; and
IN The case Of the gas and water, the cost
- thsimprovement Is properly collected as
now In tho general gas and water rates.
The stipulation ss to the gas mains
may be intended only to apply
when the city supplies the gas.
Wedo not see any great improvement over
our system in the election of the city
treasurer by the people; nor does there
seem to be any great need with us of con.
tseller, who is to be chosen by the people
nor any advantage In having four commits
sloners Of the public works, who are to be
slected by councils. Councils should
choose the treasurer, and the finance and
street committees are as competent for
their work a. the substitutes provided for
than may be expected to be.
The new law gives cities the monopoly
oe light and water supply, which they
should have; but also gives them the
power to let this monopoly away for ten
year periods which we do not suppose our
citizens want our councils to have as to the
water the light supplying privilege Is now
A other hands, and the city cannot OBJ.
tain that monopoly, Of course, without
purchasing the existing rights.
Thenew law gives councils power to lay
. tax Of two per cent, one for general
purposes, and ono for interest and redemp-
ton Of the debt. 1t seems also to authorize
he levy Of special tax for the purchase of
apublic park. We do not think our people
dssire to extend the present limits of the
taxing power Of councils.
Nor are they likely to desire that the
city tax shall be spread over all personal
property that the state taxes, and the real
( eGtate that the county taxes, as NAV be held
e be the object of it under the clause EN-.
towering the levy of a city tax mon ali
pguperty taxable for state and county Dur.
8pses, nor will they care to have every oc.
soupatl0n and business taxed for CITY pur-
sjppoeg. There is a further provision for a
%onx " on all persons" which we do not
n6estand, as there is q subsequent pro.
khion for . poll tax Of a dollar, and we do
R4 know what further provisional tax
2puA b wanted.
- lav provides for the division of the
~ councils into wards which shall not
. city OF the fourth class exceed
&yo; one select and two common coun.
nn ase 70 be chosen from each ward. the
q &Dnnono oouncilmen to serve for two years
p ~ salsct for four, as declared in one
Fnoo11o1, though it is declared that they
q ~ eogyo for two years in another sec.
- Certainly there is no improvement
Up oyw our present system. Such
pgonsnt could readily be made by
~ the wards into election districts,
, - more than three hundred voters
)14s end giving each election district
onfattve In the common council,
ng1howards 10 b represented In select
ak ThWs should be . different and
- eeogatueuv for . select council.
- - one man 70 thEss hundred isnot
e . repceseatatlvso OF the people in
nmoa council and thrse hundred
49, ssite snpueh Ssaa slsetioa d..